Remembering The Rainbow - 4/26/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

today. If you enjoy today's message, be

sure to subscribe, follow, and share

with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

>> Praise God. Well, I'm telling you what,

it is home sweet home. Amen. And if

you've been down here any amount of time

and you got Jesus on the inside, ain't

nothing you want to stay around here

for. Amen. And I praise his name. I'm

going one of these days to those sunny

banks of sweet deliverance. Amen. And I

appreciate the grace and the goodness of

God. Thank you ladies for singing. Thank

you choir uh for singing today. And I

thank all of you for being here in the

service today. Genesis chapter number

nine. when you find your place, if you

would stand if you can and able. Uh,

Genesis chapter number nine. I want to

read just a couple of verses this

morning. Genesis chapter number nine.

And just trying to follow the leadership

of the Holy Spirit these days and he's

been giving me a word and I've enjoyed

it, enjoyed preaching and I miss being

here on Wednesday night, but was

thankful for the work we was able to

accomplish for the Rock of Ages. And I

appreciate brother Paul filling in in my

place. And brother Cisk is a blessing,

ain't he? And I appreciate the man of

God been faithful all his life and I

appreciate that sticking by the stuff.

That's what I want to do. Amen. Just

stick with the stuff and stay by the

Bible. Amen. And I do appreciate you

being here. Let's read Genesis 9. Let's

look in verse number 13 or verse 12.

Genesis chapter number 9 verse number

12.

The Bible said, "And God said,"This is

the token of the covenant which I make

between me and you and every living

creature that is with you for perpetual

generations. I do set my bow in the

cloud. And it shall be for a token of a

covenant between me and the earth. And

it shall come to pass when I bring a

cloud over the earth that the bow shall

be seen in the cloud. And I will

remember my covenant which is between me

and you and every living creature of all

flesh. And the waters shall no more

became a flood to destroy all flesh. And

the bow shall be in the cloud, and I

will look upon it, that I may remember

the everlasting covenant between God and

every living creature of all flesh that

is upon the earth. And God said unto

Noah, "This is the token of the covenant

which I have established between me and

all flesh that is upon the earth."

Father, I ask you humbly this morning,

God, as we bow for a moment of prayer,

Lord, that you would help us today, God,

we stand in desperate place and God, I

have nothing to say. Lord, if you do not

speak through me and so God, I pray that

you would speak to me and through me

this morning. Get all glory unto

yourself. Hide us behind the cross.

clothe us in our calling. And Lord, I

pray today, Father, for that sinner

that's here and is not saved. God, I

pray they would see this wonderful

message from the word of God today, God,

that there is still a rainbow of

shining. And Lord, I pray, God, that you

would help us today to receive the

truth, Lord, that you would lay on our

hearts. I pray, Father, Lord, for that

when it's grown cold and indifferent,

Lord, I just can't help but feel like

somebody here today not right with you.

God, I pray Lord that they get right

with you today and come back to a place

of fellowship and nearness, God, unto

you. And Lord, I ask that you would get

glory unto yourself above all else. And

we'll thank you for what you do because

we ask it in Jesus name. Amen. And amen,

you can be seated. Thank you for

standing with us this morning. Genesis

chapter number nine dawns a new day and

age in the record of history in your

Bible. Of course, we have considered up

to this point, we've considered the

Adamic covenant that was made with Adam

when he was in the Garden of Eden. And

then we've also considered that

antidoluvian age that follows from

Genesis 5 all the way through Genesis

chapter number 7 into chapter number

eight. But what we're seeing here in

Genesis 9 is the beginning of a new day

and a new age in the time of history.

And what has what you've seen here is

that Noah has been delivered through the

flood here in Genesis 9. He has given

him a command. In verse number one of

Genesis 9, if you're taking notes, this

is number one by way of introduction

this morning. He's given Noah a command

to love. Notice what the Bible says. God

blessed Noah and his sons and said unto

them, "Be fruitful and multiply and

replenish the earth." And so we know

that Noah and his three sons and their

wives were all that were left behind

after the flood here. And they were

delivered through on the ark unto this

new land unto new life. And here they

are commanded to love and to be fruitful

and to multiply and replenish the earth.

Amen. And I want to say this to you this

morning. Let's just put put it out there

for all of us to hear loud and clear.

Amen. this demonic society that we have

that tells young ladies and young men

that they should not get married and

they should not have children, friend,

that's straight out of the pits of hell.

Amen. God's command is still in place.

Amen. It's still there to be fruitful

and multiply. You realize this world,

hey friend, the Muslims, they're having

them by the dozens. Amen. And Christian

people seemingly don't want to have any

children. Amen. We ought to be birthing

children into this world. Amen. if

they're not going to be if we can't win

them, we ought to be winning our own.

Somebody say amen right there. And that

command still stands this morning. And I

see not only the command to love here in

the text, but I I see the conditions for

living that are mentioned here in the

text, verses 2 through verse number

four. The Bible says, "The fear of you,

and the dread of you shall be upon every

beast of the earth, and upon every foul

of the air, and upon all that moveth

upon the earth, and upon all the fishes

of the sea. Into your hand are they

delivered." And so here begins in this

text the animal creation to fear mankind

and mankind becomes the top of the food

chain here in this text. And we notice

not only the fear of the animals life

but we notice the flesh for eating

that's mentioned in verse number three.

Look what your Bible says. Every moving

thing that liveth shall be meat for you.

Even as the green herb have I given you

all things. Amen. And so, aren't you

thankful we don't have to go by Moses

law? Amen. Thank God for bacon. Somebody

say amen right there. Amen. I like this

noic covenant a lot better. Amen. But he

said, "Every living thing shall be meat

for you." And the Bible says in verse

number four, "But flesh with the life

thereof, which is the blood thereof

shall ye not eat." All right. Now, let

me plug this for just a minute. Amen.

We'll get to the message this morning.

Hey, if you eat your steak medium or

lower than that, there's something wrong

with you. Amen. Amen. You need to cook

that thing cuz the Bible says in verse

number four, hey, it's biblical. Look

what your Bible says, but flesh with the

life thereof. What's it say, church,

which is the blood thereof. Amen. Hey,

if that thing still got blood in it,

it's still alive. Amen. Somebody say,

"Amen." Right there. Cook that meat.

Amen. Don't eat it raw. Amen. But we

roast it with fire. Amen. And so I

notice the flesh in the text. Hey, it's

all right to laugh. Amen. But this is

the conditions for living that's given

unto Noah here in the text. And on a

more serious note, you note not only the

command to love and the conditions for

living, but notice thirdly, the

consideration of life. In verse number

five, look what your Bible says. And

surely your blood of your lives will I

require at the hand of every beast will

I require it. And at the hand of man, at

the hand of every man's brother will I

require the life of man. And so

instituted here in Genesis chapter

number nine is the emphasis upon capital

punishment. Amen. And when we destroyed

that in this country, that is where our

nation began to go down. It is not

justly punished. Crimes are not justly

punished in this country the way that

they should be. But God ordained it in

this text. He said, "For the life of

man's blood shall that man's blood be

required at beast hand and at man's

hand." Amen. And I want to say this to

you. In a nation, amen, that frowns upon

us, if a dog bites a little baby,

they'll frown upon you for taking the

life of that dog, but they abort babies

by the millions. Let me just preach

right there for a minute. Amen. If that

dog or that animal hurts a child, amen,

IT OUGHT TO HAVE ITS LIFE TAKEN. AMEN.

>> You ought not keep that thing, that

sorry animal around if it's no good, no

better than that. Amen. Verse six, he

says, "Who so shedth man's blood, by man

shall his blood be shed. for in the

image of God made he man. So there's the

consideration of life in punishment, but

there's also the consideration of life

in procreation. In verse 7, look what he

says. He reate reiterates it again. And

you be ye fruitful and multiply, bring

forth abundantly in the earth and

multiply therein. God reiterates it

twice here in the text that Noah and his

family were to replenish the earth. And

I see this morning the command to love,

the conditions for living. I see the

consideration of life. But I want to

preach to you this morning on this

thought out of verse number, notice

verse number nine. The Bible says, "And

behold, I behold I establish my covenant

with you and with your seed after you."

And I want to look at this thought, "The

covenant that will last." And I want to

preach for just a little while this

morning on this thought on remember the

rainbow.

remember the rainbow. I was thinking

about it this morning as I was riding on

the way to church and and uh I went and

got me a biscuit this morning. Somebody

say, "Praise God for that." Amen.

>> And I was looking over the tops of the

trees and you know, we've been in a

drought here for some time in North

Carolina. Much part of the country's

been in a drought. It was dry where we

was at down there in southern Tennessee.

And I was thinking about it this

morning. the trees. It almost looked as

if their branches were stretching out

and those leaves have turned that bright

green from that water that's been upon

those branches. And I was thinking in my

heart, praying to the Lord driving down

the road, Lord, thank you for sending

the rain. Amen. To nourish the ground.

Amen. And I'm reminded of what God

promised in Genesis chapter 8 and verse

Genesis 8 · chapter mention

22 for this crowd that believe

doomsday's coming. Just notice the

promise that God gave in verse 22. while

the earth remain and seed time and

harvest and cold and heat and summer and

winter and day and night shall not

cease. I just want to submit to you this

morning, as long as there's people here

and as long as life's going in going on,

the world's not going to end. Amen. Hey,

this thing's not coming to a close. God

promised, hey, seed time and harvest

cold, he said, winter and cold and

summertime and hot, amen, it's going to

be here until God says it's no longer

going to be here. And I want to deal

with this covenant this morning for just

a little while and preach on that

thought. Remember the rainbow. You see

the rainbow is a beautiful image. This

and it's still a beautiful image in this

day and time when I look outside some of

the most beautiful sight. Some of the

most beautiful uh pictures that are

taken and paintings and murals and

things that are done are done of

rainbows and the image that's in the

sky. And there's no coincidence, a

ma'am, that this is a promise that's

given here in the text. And I I notice

in this covenant that will last. Notice

this. And then we'll get into the

message this morning. He makes this

covenant with the people. Look what he

says in verse 9. He said, "And I,

behold, I establish my covenant with

you." Notice this. And with your seed

after you. So you know what this means?

This covenant stands

with your seed after you. This is made

as a promise unto the human race. For

all children are born children of Noah

and his three sons. We are Noah's seed

this morning. And this covenant is left

with his people. And it's left to the

animal kingdom. Look in verse 10. And

with every living creature that is with

you, of the foul, of the cattle, and of

every beast of the earth with you, from

all that go out of the ark to every

beast of the earth. And I will establish

my covenant with you. Now, this there's

the people that's mentioned, but what is

the promise? What exactly is the

covenant? Well, notice the promise

that's mentioned here in verse number

11. And I will establish my covenant

with you, neither shall all flesh be cut

off anymore by the waters of a flood,

neither shall there anymore be a flood

to destroy the earth. And God promised

it there in Genesis 9. And throughout

history, there's never been a flood

that's destroyed all the human race

again. Since the day that Noah and his

family went into the ark, God has been

good on his promise. Amen. Judgment has

not come in a total figure the way that

it came in Noah's day. And God has kept

his promise. And I see not only the

people and the promise, but I see the

provision. You see, God never makes a

covenant that he does not give an emblem

or a figure for that covenant to seal

it.

>> He makes a covenant. Amen. But you see,

he's got to give something that's going

to be proof of that covenant. The Bible

says in verse 12, "And God said, this is

the token, the emblem, the symbol." Look

what he says. This is the token of the

covenant which I make between me and you

and every living creature that is with

you for perpetual generations. In verse

13, look what your Bible says. I do set

my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for

a token of a covenant between me and the

earth. Now there's an old song in the

redback himnel that's called God put a

rainbow in the cloud. Beautiful song. I

love the song. Amen. But it's not

scriptural. Amen. But the song goes says

when God should know in the grand old

ark, he put a rainbow in the cloud.

Well, that promise had been made yet.

And what I find in this text, all right,

when we think about this thought that

God is making this promise, this

covenant with this people, and he gives

this provision, this image, this

picture, if you will, of this rainbow.

And he says, "It shall be for a token of

a covenant between me and the earth."

And there's great imagery here. And I'm

going to try my best to pull that out of

the text this morning. But when I think

about the rainbow, I think about the

fact number one that there was something

that had to preede this covenant being

made. And what you'll notice in

scripture, it's a redundant theme that

there is never a covenant made without a

sacrifice.

And you say, "Preacher, where's the

sacrifice in the text?" Well, if you've

studied Genesis any amount of time, we

didn't look at it in depth as of yet,

but Genesis chapter number 8 and verse

20. What your Bible say there in verse

20? And Noah, notice this, builded an

altar. The Bible says he builded an

altar unto the Lord. Noah has exited the

ark. All creation, those animals that he

has spared, have exited the ark. And the

Bible says he took of every clean beast

and of every clean foul and offered

burnt offerings on the altar. And Noah

offers this offering as upon the exit of

their uh their trip upon the ark. In

verse 21, the Bible says, "And the Lord

smelled a sweet savor." God was pleased

by the offering of Noah. The Lord said

in his heart, "I will not again curse

the ground anymore for man's sake. For

the imagination of man's heart is evil

from his youth, neither will I again

smite anymore every living thing as I

have done." And so what he is telling

them here, telling us here and saying in

this text is is that Noah's offering,

Noah's sacrifice was successful.

Amen. I'm thankful Noah's sacrifice

wasn't the only one that was successful.

Amen.

>> Jesus, the lamb of God that came to die

for the sins of the world. John said he

went to Calvar's cross and there's never

been a sacrifice that pleased God the

Father the way that his sacrifice did.

And I want to say this this morning. If

you are saved this morning, if you've

trusted Christ by faith, you are in a

covenant with God

>> because of his sacrifice.

>> Noah offered this sacrifice. And notice

the terms of this sacrifice. It's

mentioned in verse number verse number

look at verse 12. And God said this is

the token of the covenant which I make.

Notice this between me and you. You see

my salvation the covenant that that's

been made for my salvation was not made

with me.

>> Amen.

>> It was made with Jesus.

>> Amen.

>> And you know what? The covenant that God

made with Noah that day, it was made

with him. It was made between God and

Noah. But it was made for all the

generations that were to follow. Jesus

was faithful in the covenant that him

and God made. God was pleased. Paul said

it this way in Corinthians. He hath made

him to be sin for us who knew no sin

that we might be made. The righteousness

of God. Don't miss this. In him.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. The covenant's not between us and

him, but it's between him and God. Amen.

Jesus. There's one God and one mediator

between God and man. That is the man

Christ Jesus. boy's preaching good this

morning. Amen. I'M SAYING THE COVENANT,

IT'S NOT BASED upon you and I because

friend, we're sinful. But aren't you

thankful? One who is sinless and one who

was spotless and one WHO IS PERFECT,

PURE, AND HOLY. THE COVENANT OF MY

SALVATION. IT IS NOT MINE, BUT IT'S HIS.

AMEN.

>> Paul said this, "I'm crucified with

Christ. Nevertheless, I live yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me." He said, he

said, "But the life that I now live, I

live by my faith." No, he didn't say

that. He said, "I live by the faith of

the son of God who loved me and gave

himself FOR ME. MY IT'S NOT MY FAITH

THAT SAVES ME. IT'S his faith." Amen.

That saves me this morning. AND THANK

GOD, GOD WAS PLEASED WITH THE SACRIFICE

OF NOAH. And he decides to make a

covenant with him for the preservation

of the human race. And this covenant

teaches us a few things. It's all it's

always preceded by sacrifice. But I also

want to show you this in the text. You

see, there is not only the sacrifice for

the covenant, but notice the setting of

the covenant. And when I say setting,

I'm not talking about the plot or the

place, but I'm talking about the

building of it. Look what he says in

verse 13. The word is literally used.

Look what he says. I do set my bow in

the cloud. He set it. You know what that

means? He's placed it. He's positioned

it. And when I think about the rainbow,

you think about we were to go outside

today, you probably if you looked in a

cloud somewhere, you'd probably see a

rainbow somewhere. And the imagery here

that's found in this text is this. The

Bible says he says, "I do set my bow,

notice this, in the cloud." He set his

bow in the cloud. Now, I was thinking

about this. All right? And the image

here is this that you think about this

cloud really. I I could say it this way.

The cloud represents the word of God and

herein contains that covenant.

The cloud, he said, I set my bow in the

cloud and we hold the King James Bible

as God's word in our hand. But I'll say

this, when you look on that outside, all

you see is a cover. But you know what?

That that covenant's within.

>> Amen.

>> That bow is within. Amen. AND GOD HAS

SET it there. I want I want you TO THINK

ABOUT THIS. THAT HAS to do with God's

will. Notice verse 13. He says, "I do."

Amen. The husband and the wife at the

marriage altar, you know what they say?

I do. Amen. That you know what that

means? They're they're ascribing their

will, saying that I WILL TAKE YOU AS MY

HUSBAND. I WILL take you as my wife. God

says, "I'm going to do it. I do set my

bow in the cloud." It's his will. It's

what he wanted to do.

>> But I'll say this, it was his work, too.

>> Amen.

>> He's the only one that could do it.

>> That's right.

>> Amen.

He's the only one that could broadcast

that spectrum of light in the clouds.

EVERY TIME A CLOUD COMES over full of

water, you can look and see the rainbow

and it's an expression of God that it is

a work of God. Hey, friend, I don't know

anybody that's ever looked at a rainbow

and said, "I just don't think there's a

God." Amen. I don't know about you, but

anytime I see a rainbow, something wells

up on the inside OF ME. THANK YOU, GOD,

FOR YOUR PROMISE. BECAUSE IT AIN'T JUST

about a promise THAT HE WOULDN'T FLOOD

THE EARTH FOR ME, BUT IT'S ABOUT A

PROMISE, AMEN, THAT HE WOULD GIVE ME

FAITH TO SAVE ME FROM MY SIN. AMEN. AND

IT REMINDS ME THAT I'VE BEEN DELIVERED.

HALLELUJAH.

>> But you know what? What's most

interesting to me about this bow

is not the sacrifice. And and indeed, I

don't want to make light of the cross

this morning. It's not the sacrifice,

and it's also not the setting of it. We

know that only God could do that. Aren't

you thankful? There's some things in our

life that we know only God could do.

>> Amen.

>> But I tell you, this is what amazes me.

I tell you in verse number, notice verse

number 14.

It's not the sacrifice, it's not the

setting, but it is the sight of this bow

that amazes me.

And it's not because the sight itself,

but it's because of who's looking.

Notice verse 14. And it shall come to

pass when I, that's God speaking, bring

a cloud over the earth, that the bow

shall be seen in the cloud. And notice

verse 15. What's that first phrase of

verse 15? And I will remember my

covenant.

Now, you just think this morning the

rainbow was put there for you,

but it wasn't. It was in a sense, but

God said, "It's my bow."

And I want to give you three things this

morning about this bow,

about remembering the rainbow. Very

simple, but it's true. When I think

about this rainbow this morning, it

reminds me of these three truths about

God and his person. Now, I'm thankful

God is holy and that is his essence.

It's who he is. Amen. We say that God,

his essence is love, but his essence is

holiness. Amen. And out of his holiness

proceeds a perfect love for you and I.

Amen. And aren't you thankful that he

did not compromise his holiness in order

to bring some kind of life to us that

would not last? But you see, holiness is

the only thing that can produce eternal

life. Amen. Paul said it this way.

Follow holiness without which no man

shall see the Lord. If there is not

imputed righteousness, imputed holiness

in your life, you cannot be saved. And

so, I'm thankful for the holiness of

God. I'm thankful for the love of God

this morning. But I want to tell you

this. I'm thankful that God is always

aware.

>> And when I look at this text, the rema

the rainbow reminds me, talking about

remembering the rainbow, the rainbow

reminds me number one this morning that

God is looking.

God's looking.

>> God is watching. You understand? The

Bible says, "The eyes of the Lord are in

every place. Beholding the evil and the

good." God is watching every event that

goes on. No matter how dark the alley,

no matter how secret you MAY FEEL IT MAY

BE, you understand God only not not only

sees the physical, but he sees the

mental. He sees the spiritual. He sees

all of it. He sees the intents of our

heart. Amen. And the inner motives. And

what I'm reminded of in this text, the

Bible says this in verse 14, it shall

come to pass when I bring a cloud over

the earth that the bow shall be seen in

the cloud. And he said, "And I will

remember my covenant." You see, this bow

was set up there so God could see it.

>> And you say, "Preacher, what does that

express to me today?" Well, I want to

say this. God's look is number one. Oh,

man. It's a look of love.

>> Amen.

>> You know, I'm reminded of his truth. The

Bible, and I got to give you this. It's

what's on my mind. I can't get away from

it. I'm trying to hold it off, but I

can't get get away from it.

You see the rainbow this morning, it's a

reminder that God is looking because of

this. You see, when we think about a

rainbow, and I hope that you youngans

know this this morning, and you know, it

wouldn't surprise me if the schools

don't teach this anymore because it's

one of the greatest proofs of God's work

that there is in creation. But what is a

rainbow in a physical sense? Rainbow is

this. We know this this morning. It's

light passing through. It's the spectrum

of light passing through water.

>> And when you see a rainbow, it's always

in a cloud where water's present. And I

was thinking about this. You know, the

spectrum, I don't remember. It's been

been a few years since I looked at this.

Amen. But I think what is it? There's

seven colors, eight colors of that

spectrum. I can't remember. Somebody

smarter than me. You can tell me after

service. Amen. But those colors that are

seen, it's the different it's that in

that refraction of light.

>> Amen. that passes through that water and

it shows that color. And you say, "What

is that, preacher?" Well, I wrote this

down in my Bible.

The rainbow is this. It's the light of

God's eyes shining through the water of

his word, showing us the colors of his

infinite grace.

It is the light of his eyes shining

through the water of his word showing us

the colors of his infinite grace. You

see the rain rainbow reminds me that God

is always looking.

>> Because anytime you see a rainbow, this

is what it should tell you. It should

remind you that that rainbow is not just

for you, but it was for him.

>> Amen.

>> And when God sees that rainbow, he

remembers the covenant that he made with

Noah. And he said, "I'll never again

flood the earth." Amen.

>> I will never again doom the human race

because of their sinfulness.

And boy, you ought to be glad of that

this morning.

>> Amen.

>> You realize you could have been born in

that age,

>> right?

>> We could have been born at any time in

history. I could have been born into a

family that didn't know God.

>> But God put me where I was for such a

time as this and saved me. Saw fit to

give me life.

>> Amen. And when I see a rainbow, it

reminds me that God's looking. You say,

"Preacher, how is that scripture?" Well,

let me just remind you of what the Bible

says about Noah. You see, God was

watching Noah. Notice what the Bible

says in Genesis 7, Genesis 7 and verse

number one. And the Lord said unto Noah,

"Come thou and all thy house into the

ark." I haven't been able to get away

from this verse all through my study

because of this one statement. Look what

he says. For thee have I seen

righteous before me.

HE SAW the righteousness of Noah. THE

BIBLE LITERALLY says in Genesis 6, WHAT

DOES IT SAY IN VERSE NUMBER EIGHT? But

Noah found grace where? In the eyes of

the Lord. Oh friend, do you UNDERSTAND

THAT THE EYES OF GOD ARE SHINING DOWN

UPON US TODAY? And he SEES THE

RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT'S IN US, NOT OF OUR

OWN WORKS, BUT OF HIS WILL INSIDE OF US.

THE IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS

CHRIST ON THE INSIDE. AND THAT RAINBOW,

GOD LOOKS AT US THROUGH THAT RAINBOW OF

HIS LOVE. AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE SEES? HE

SEES US ALL THAT'S FORGIVEN. THAT SINS

ARE FORGOTTEN. HE'S NOT THE SAME. WE'VE

BEEN MADE DIFFERENT BECAUSE HE DON'T

LOOK AT US.

HE don't look at us outside of the

rainbow.

>> Amen.

>> That rainbow is how God sees us.

>> Amen.

>> And let me say this. It's not seven

colors. It's red.

>> That's right. Amen.

>> It's the blood.

>> That's right. Amen.

>> He saw Noah. Noah found grace in the

eyes of the Lord. Thee have I seen

righteous before me. God looked at that

generation in verse 5 of Genesis 6. And

God saw that the wickedness of man was

great in the earth. He saw it. Sinner,

listen to me this morning. God's

watching.

>> Amen.

>> God is looking.

>> Amen.

>> He knows what you're doing.

>> You may think you've got your parents

fooled. You may think you got your

friends fooled. You may think you got

your husband or your wife or your mom or

your daddy fooled. But let me tell you

this morning, God's watching. Amen.

>> He's looking. Well, let me say this to

those of us who are saved. He's looking.

>> Amen.

>> You say, "What does that do for me?"

Well, that ought to encourage you to

live for him. But it also ought to help

you to know that every time you're done

wrong, every time you know that you that

that somebody has has has misjudged you

or misplaced you or disrespected you,

YOU JUST KNOW THAT GOD'S WATCHING. AMEN.

AND JUST BECAUSE YOU LIVE RIGHT AND DO

RIGHT and talk right. AMEN. JUST BECAUSE

THE WORLD DOES NOT RESPECT YOU, DO NOT

FORGET THAT GOD IS LOOKING. AMEN.

>> He's watching. The rainbow reminds me

that God is looking.

He says in verse number 16, notice the

verse of Genesis 9. And the bow shall be

in the cloud. What's that next phrase?

And I will look upon it. God says, I'm

going to look at it. And you know what

it'll do? to remind me. Not that God

could forget,

>> but it's an emblem. It's a promise that

he's looking.

>> And I'll say this this morning. It's not

only an emblem that God is looking, but

second of all, I would say it's an

emblem that God is longsuffering.

You say, "How is that, preacher?" Well,

you see, he gave those that generation,

Genesis chapter 6, the Bible says that,

Genesis 6 · chapter mention

you know, he said, uh, let's just turn

there. He said, "My spirit shall not

always strive with man." Genesis 6 and:e

three. My spirit shall not always strive

with man for that that he also is flesh.

Yet his days shall be in 120 years. God

even gave that wicked generation a space

to repent.

>> Amen.

>> He gave them an opportunity to get right

with him. But the whole time Noah was

building that ark, there was no

forgiveness that was received. They did

not trust the Lord. But you know what?

The same mercy that was offered before

the ark was offered after.

>> Amen.

>> And God says it will be a rem or

remembrance. Look, look at that. Verse

15. I will remember my covenant which is

between me and you and every living

creature of all flesh. And the waters

shall no more become a flood. Notice

that to destroy all flesh. You see, this

is salvation.

This covenant represented the fact that

God would no more flood the earth again.

Do you understand that? probably the the

quickest way that the earth could be

destroyed is by water.

>> Amen.

>> Do you realize that? And God says it'll

never happen again.

That is the longsuffering of God.

>> Amen.

>> You say, "How is that expressed,

preacher?" Well, it's been some, you

know, five at least 5,000 years since

this event happened. And what's never

occurred? There's never been a worldwide

flood. There's never been a time where

God judged the whole earth again. And

I'll say this, there's coming a day when

he's going to judge the world. But it

ain't going to be with a flood.

>> It's going to be by fire. Amen. But I'll

say this. When God made his words, you

know what? You can bet on it. This world

will never be submerged with a flood

again. You say, "What does that prove,

preacher?" Well, the Bible says in the

book of Peter, Peter said this. He said,

"The Lord is not slack concerning his

promise,

>> as some men count slackness, but is

long-suffering to usward, not willing

that any should perish, but that all

should come to repentance." And so this

rainbow, when we see that, what does it

represents? It represents that God is

long-suffering, not with just you and

me, but with every person.

>> When you see a rainbow, you ought to

remember that God's looking, but you

also ought to remember that rainbow

tells you, "Hey, God's patient.

>> God's longsuffering."

>> Amen.

>> Because he don't want you to die and go

to hell.

>> Amen.

>> He don't want you to die in judgment.

>> That's right.

>> And let me say this to you this morning.

If you're here and you're lost, the

wrath of God abides on you presently

right now. You're now under the judgment

of God. God is longsuffering. But I'll

say this and I I'll be done this

morning. This rainbow, when I say

remember the rainbow, y'all to remember

that God's looking. Y'all remember that

God is long-suffering. But y'all to

remember that God loves you.

>> Amen.

>> You say, "How is that, preacher?" Well,

notice what the Bible says again. Verse

15. and I will remember my covenant

which is between me and you and every

living creature of all flesh, and the

waters shall no more become a flood to

destroy all flesh. Verse 17. And God

said unto Noah, "This is the token of

the covenant which I have established

between me and all flesh that is upon

the earth." Now, let's just think about

this for a minute. Okay? I've already

submitted to you that the rainbow God

said, I'll I I'll put it in in my cloud

and I'll see it and remember I remember

my covenant. But you know, God could

have made a rainbow that only he could

see.

And there is a rainbow that only he

could see. I'm going to get there in

just a minute. But you know what? That

rainbow,

probably one of the greatest phenomenon

in all the world is a rainbow. And when

we look at a rainbow, we see those

colors. There's a lot of different

things. You know, our world has

corrupted that made it a image of pride

when it is an image of promise. The

least prideful thing that possibly could

be in creation is a rainbow. And they

take it and turn into the most worst

perverted

>> prideful thing that there is.

>> I want to say this to you. It's not

changed the purpose of the rainbow.

>> God sees it. But you know who else sees

it?

We do.

>> You say, "Preacher, how is that an

evidence that God loves me?" Well,

here's the evidence. God made a

covenant. He don't need any help

remembering it.

>> That's right.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. He does not need any help

remembering the fact that he made a

promise that he's not going to flood the

earth again.

>> Amen.

>> But you know what? You know who's

forgetful?

>> Amen.

>> We are.

>> And you know why every cloud has a

rainbow?

You say, "Preacher, I every cloud I've

ever seen doesn't have a rainbow." At

some point in every cloud, there's a

rainbow where the light passes through.

Y'all are not with me this morning.

>> And every cloud where there's rain,

there's a rainbow that passes through.

And what does this what does this

express? It's expressed to us that in

spite of the fact God doesn't need it to

remember, he put it up there so we could

remember with him.

He didn't just make it a rainbow that

only he could see. And I'll say I'll say

this. There's, you know, I'm going to go

there in just a minute. Amen. But but

when we think about think about him in

heaven and he sees all things. The

rainbow was for him. Amen. But in like

manner, we're for him. We're created in

his image. By him, for him, for his

glory. Paul said it this way. Romans 11.

For of him, through him, and to him are

all things. That's what he said. last

verse of Romans 11. So, we're we're his,

too. The rainbow's his. But you know

what? He lets us see it.

>> And you know what? That ought to remind

you

>> that he loves you.

>> Amen.

>> Now, you remember that image that I gave

you a minute ago talking about? He said,

"I set my bow in the cloud and I said

that cloud."

Amen.

>> See that rainbow?

You know the only way you'll ever know

that God loves you.

>> Amen.

>> This is the most beautiful thing you'll

ever see in this life.

>> The rainbow was a promise to Noah, but

you understand to the church, this is

our promise.

>> Amen.

>> This is the truth that we stand upon.

And I think about this, you know, we we

often make this statement. You ever

heard, you know, we sing the song, the

half hasn't been told. We believe that.

We don't know the half of what's waiting

for us.

You ever thought about a rainbow? The

biggest you can see is only about what?

Half

that rainbow when you go outside and if

you go into an open field and the most

beautiful rainbow I ever saw was at my

mom and dad's house and they live there

in Alageney County and Inis. Amen. If

you know where Inennis is, you probably

um well, I ain't going to say that.

Amen. But anyway, Inis is a very small

place. It's kind of like Robinsville.

Amen. You know, God just don't he don't

know where those people are at. Amen.

But anyway, but on there there's a big

old meadow strip goes for probably I

don't know, there's probably 75 or 80

acres there and it's off down the

holler. But the prettiest rainbow I ever

seen was over the hill one day it had

rained at mom and daddy's and it almost

it looked like it was so large that it

it was it almost looked like more than

half. You ever seen one like that? It

looks like the bottoms of it almost

start coming back around. But you know

what? It don't matter where you go,

you'll never see one that makes a

complete circle.

But you know in the scripture there is

one

that makes a complete circle. And you

say well what is that? Well I'm remind

you of this truth that the image that we

have we don't know the whole story.

>> We don't understand all that Christ did

for us. We don't know all that this

promise entailed. You see God told Noah

what it meant that he would never flood

the earth again. But Noah didn't

understand all that. He didn't

understand the depths of God's promise.

But I'll say this. There's coming a day.

>> Amen. When we do understand

Revelation chapter 4,

Revelation 4 · chapter mention

a man named John,

many of us we would know him as the

apostle,

John the beloved, the one the disciple

whom Jesus loved in Revelation 4 and

verse one, he said this. After this, I

looked, and behold, a door was open in

heaven. And the first voice which I

heard was as it were of a trumpet

talking with me, which said, "Come up

hither, and I will show thee things

which must be hereafter." This is an

image of the rapture of the church is

what this is. John is taken from this

world to the next world. Verse two, and

immediately I was in the spirit. Isn't

that interesting that shows up first?

Look what the Bible says. And behold, a

throne was set in heaven, and one sat on

the throne. That's God Almighty, just in

case you didn't know that. Amen. Verse

number three. And he that sat was to

look to was to look upon like a jasper

and a sard and stone. And there was a

rainbow round about the throne in sight

like unto an emerald.

When you look at that phrase roundabout,

you know what that literally means? It

means a complete circle.

>> Amen.

>> I'll tell you this. The world took that

image of God and said there's a pot of

gold at the end of it. I submit to you,

you'll never find a little short man or

a pot of gold.

>> But I'll tell you this, one day you'll

find the other side of it.

>> And you know what you'll be able to do?

You'll be able to look right in the

middle of it. And you know who you'll

find? You'll find God.

>> You say, "What is What does that mean,

preacher?" Well, at the center of his

promise is his person.

You know what you find?

I'm telling you,

>> this is good stuff. Amen. What you find

when you see the whole rainbow? You know

what you'll find? You find God.

>> Amen.

>> In his most pure place.

>> Yeah.

>> Without sin, exalted, and on his throne.

>> And I'll say this, God made that

covenant that day.

He made that covenant with Noah that

day. But he knew there was coming a day

when Noah and his family and the church

of the living God would stand there and

stand before him. And you know what

would happen? They would behold not just

half, but the whole.

>> You know what? We don't know it all now,

but I'll tell you, one of these days,

the promise is going to be made clear to

see that this book

was all that we ever needed.

>> Amen.

>> And I want to submit to you this morning

as we stand, every heads bowed and every

eyes closed for just a minute. I want

you to remember the rainbow because it's

an image of God's love.

It's a token

of the fact that

God will never bring judgment

again on the earth by a flood. And you

say, "Preacher, what does that mean by

that? If seeing the whole rainbow, what

what does that mean?" Well, here's what

it means. It means that you see God when

he showed half the rainbow, it showed

that judgment would never come by a

flood. But you know what? But when John

stepped foot in heaven and one of these

days when we step foot in heaven for the

last time, you know what's going to

happen? Judgment's going to be over

with.

>> Do you hear what I just said?

>> Amen. Amen.

>> And you know what? That other half of

the rainbow will show that judgment is

forever gone.

>> Sin will be judged. Sinners will be

judged. And the saints will be in the

presence of God forever and eternity.

and there'll never more be another

judgment. Thank you, Jesus.

>> I want to ask you this this morning as

she begins to play.

You see, you may go out those doors this

morning and I don't know, there may be a

rainbow just out those doors waiting on

you. But I'll say this, you may live the

rest of your life and never see another

one with a physical eye. But I can tell

you this, you've got one this morning in

your hands,

more beautiful than anything the human

eye has ever seen. invested is that

promise that God Almighty has made to

man. Remember, the rainbow

is the light of God's eyes shining

through the water of his word, showing

us the colors of his grace. Let me say

this to you today, sinner. He loves you.

He loves you.

He's long-suffering with you. The reason

that you're still here this morning, the

reason that you're in Meta's Baptist

Church this morning

is because he's longsuffering.

But let me remind you, sinner, God is

looking

and he knows your heart this morning.

And I've got to ask you one more time.

I got to ask you one more time. As your

preacher, if you died right now, where

would you be?

You see, judgment's coming.

We know that judgment's coming.

And all those who don't know Jesus

will face the judgment.

But let me say this. Those who've

trusted him, they'll never know the

judgment of God.

They'll never know what it's like to

suffer. They'll never know what it's

like to feel the flames of hell.

Let me ask you today, sinner. If you

died right now, where would you be? You

say, "Preacher, I don't know where I'd

be. I don't know if I died right now

that I'd go to heaven." Anybody be

honest this morning? You say, "Preacher,

would you pray for me? I don't know. I'm

saved."

Slip your hand up and I'll pray for you

this morning.

Nobody's looking around but me. Just

slip your hand up. Be honest between you

and God this morning.

Let me say this.

You may fool all of us, but just

remember God will always see.

He will always see.

Let me say this to you, child of God.

It's a comfort to know every time we see

a rainbow that we have a God who's

looking at us.

We have a God who loves us and is

long-suffering with us. You ought to

rejoice in that today. Y'all rejoice. I

tell you, there's nothing better in this

life knowing that for every mistake we

make and we fail daily. Can I get a

witness this morning? We fail daily.

>> Amen.

>> For every mistake that we make, God's

still long-suffering.

>> Amen.

>> Because he will not forget his promise

and he's never forsaken us. He'll never

leave us. You can trust him today.

Father, thank you for this truth today.

God, I'm thankful that

Lord, the rainbow,

God's an image of your perfection,

but Lord, more than an image of your

perfection, God, as it's perfectly

proportionate, and Lord, perfectly

pictured in its colors, but God, it's an

image of your promise,

Lord. How perfect our salvation is, God.

How perfect our redemption and our

deliverance is, God. That you made a way

for us. And Lord, you had it all planned

out. God, you knew how we would choose.

You knew how we would live. But Lord,

instead, in spite of all of that, you

chose to love us. You chose to look to

us. And Lord, you said if we look to

you, you said, "Look unto me all the

ends of the earth. Be ye saved. For I am

God and there's none else." And Lord,

may we look to you today. May sinners

look to you today and be saved. Lord,

may the church of God look to you once

again and rejoice. Lord, we thank you

for what you've done in our midst. Thank

you for this precious promise today. We

ask it all in Jesus name. God's children

said,

>> "Amen." Thank

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you'd join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more

information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.